Today in World War II History—Jan. 12, 1942

U-123 preparing to fire on surface vessel off East Coast, Jan-Feb 1942 (German Federal Archive, Bild 101II-MW-4008-20)

75 Years Ago—Jan. 12, 1942: Off Nova Scotia, German U-boat U-123 sinks British freighter Cyclops, the first loss in Germany’s “Operation Paukenschlag.”

Col. Charles Lindbergh is refused a military command due to his vocal pre-war isolationist work.

US forms National War Labor Board to deal with union wage demands.

In US, Victory Book Campaign begins to collect reading material for servicemen.